Electrotherapeutic apparatus.



W. L. WALTER. ELECTROTHERAPEUTIC APPARATUS.

. APPLICATIOA FILED NOV- 7,19]?!- 1,1 90,490. A Patented July 11, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET i.

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W. L. WALTER.

ELECTROTHERAPEUTIC APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV- 711914.

Patented July 11, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

7 uumdoz W L .WA ur E n WILLIAM L. WALTER, OF PUEBLO, COLORADO.

ELECTBOTHERAPEUTIC APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 11, 1916.

Application filed November 7, 1914. Serial No. 870,901.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM L. WALTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pueblo, in the county of Pueblo and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrotherapeutm Apparatus, of which the following 15 a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain improvements in electrothcrapeutic apparatus, and the object of my invention is to provide a novel and improved device of this'general character whereby the electrical energy may be intermittently administered to'a patient.

The invention consists in the details, of

I construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved apparatus whereby certain important advantages are attained and thedevice is renderedv simpler, lessexpensive and otherwise more convenient and advantageous for use, all as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The novel features of the invention will be carefully defined in the appended claim.

In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating an electrotherapeutic apparatus arranged in accordance with an embodiment of my invention; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a further embodiment of my invention; Fig. 3 is a View, partly in elevation and partly in section, of an apparatus constructed in accordance with the embodiment as set forth in Fig. 1; and Fig. at is a fragmentary vertical sectional view illustrating certain details of the invention as set forth in Fig. 3.

As disclosed in the accompanying drawings, 1 denotes a casing of predetermined dimensions having positioned therein a source of electrical energy E constituting a predetermined number of batteries and also having suitably positioned therein the coils G 1 disposed in'parallel and being interposed in the line a leading from a contact member to the copper plate 3, see Fig. 4:, carried by the application member A. As herein embodied, the contact member 2 comprises a cup memberf formed of suitable conductive material mounted in the top 4 of the casing l and is adapted to be filled with mercury M or the like and within such cup 2 is adapted to project the peripheral portion of the disk 5 carried by a shaft 6 mounted in suitable bearings 7, herein disclosed'as projecting upwardly from the top 4 of the casing 1, and said shaft 6 is provided with a means 8 whereby the same may be rotated. As herein embodied, the means 8 is shown as a pulley around which a belt is adapted to be directed and leading from a suitable source of power, although, if desired, a

crank or other convenient means may be substituted in lieu thereof. sides of the contact 2 are a predetermined number of additional contacts 9 also partially filled with mercury and in which are To opposite I adapted to project the arms 10 radiating from the shaft 6 and spaced longitudinally thereof, and it is to be observed that-cone sponding arms 10 at opposite sides of the disk 5 are perpendicularly related whereby it will be perceived that at no time will more than one of the arms be in engagement with the mercury within a contact member 9.

A second application member B is provided with a tin plate 11 which has'electrically connected therewith the line 6 leading from the source of electrical energy E, and certain of the contact members 9 are in electrical connection with the source E through the line 0, while the remainder of the contact members 9 are in electrical connection with the line Z2 through the line (Z. Also positioned within the casing l is a condenser D in electrical connection with the line a through the-medium of the line 6 and with the line Z) through the medium of the line f. It may be well to state at this time that the number of coils G to be employed depends upon the condition of the patient to be treated, as also depends the number of condensers D, although I have in the present instance illustrated but one condenser.

As the shaft 6 is rotated, one of the arms.

10 at the left'of the disk 5 will close a circuit through the lines 0,]: and a, it being understood that the members A and B have been properlyapplied to the patient and the surplus current will be stored within the condenser D through the lines cxand f. It will also be apparent that each of. the arms 10 at the right of the disk 5 will close a circuit through the lines a, c, f, b, and d whereby thepatient will receive the current stored within the condenser D. It will be 9 noted'that when a contact is made by either there Will be, oscillations set up in the circuitC, 2, 5, 01,5 and D, which will produce an alternating potential across the application members.

It is also to be observed that the plates 3 and 11 are provided with an absorbent covering 12 adapted to be saturated with a suitable solution in accordance with what may be prescribed by the physician administering the treatment.

In the form of the invention as'illustrated diagrammatically in, Fig. 2, the arrange ment is substantially identical with that hereinbefore described, except that the shaft 6 is adapted to be driven by asuitable motor and is in direct engagement with the conductor (1., and the circuit breaker comprises an escapement wheel 14 with which coacts the pawls or pallets 15 under control,

vin a onventional manner, of the pendulatingmember 16, and it is to be observed that the pawls or pallets 15 are insulated one from theother, as indicated at 17 one of said pawls or pallets being electrically connected with the conductor e, while the second of such pallets or pawls is electrically connected with the conductor or line 03.

The conductor a has interposed therein the coils C and disposed in parallel and also interposed in the conductor a. is the condenser D. in electrical connection with the source of electrical energy E and the application members A and B are in electrical connection with a conductor a at opposite sides of the condenser D. The conductor d is in electrical connection with the conductor a. It will be perceived that with the left hand pawl 15 in contact with the wheel 1%, a circuit will be closedbetween the conductors a. and c, with the surplus energy stored The conductors e and a are adapted for use by reason of the conven ience and facility with which it maybe assembled, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification without material departure from the principles and spirit thereof -and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice.

I claim:

An electrotherapeutic apparatus compris ing a main circuit having interposed therein a source of direct current, a coil, application members and an interrupter, second interrupter bridged across the source of current, the two interrupters being mechanically coupled so that when one is in its open circuit position the other is in its closed circuit position, a condenser bridged across the application members, and means for continuously operating the interrupters.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

. WILLIAM L. WALTER.

Witnesses:

LOUIS WVALTER, MARGginEr L. IVALTER.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

